FDA Bans Red No. 3, Artificial Color Used in Beverages, Candy and Other Foods

The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it bans the use of Red No. 3, a synthetic dye that gives foods and drinks their bright cherry red color but has been linked to cancer in animals.

The dye is still used in thousands of foods, including candy, cereal, cherries in fruit cocktails and strawberry milkshakes, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a safety advocacy group food which asked the agency in 2022 to end its use. to use.

The FDA’s decision marks a victory for consumer advocacy groups and some U.S. lawmakers who have long urged the FDA to revoke approval of the additive, citing extensive evidence showing its use in beverages, dietary supplements , cereal and candy can cause cancer and affect children’s behavior. .

Food manufacturers will have until January 15, 2027 to reformulate their products. Companies that manufacture ingested medications, such as dietary supplements, will benefit from an additional year.

“The FDA cannot authorize a food additive or color additive if it is found to cause cancer in humans or animals,” said Jim Jones, FDA deputy director for food. human, in a press release. “There is evidence of cancer in male laboratory rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No. 3.”

What is red dye #3?

Red dye No. 3, approved for use in foods in 1907, is made from petroleum.

The FDA first became aware that the additive was possibly carcinogenic following a study in the 1980s that found tumors in male rats exposed to high doses. The agency banned the additive in cosmetics in 1990.

“This eliminates an unnecessary danger to the American food supply, and we welcome this action, even though it should have taken place more than three decades ago,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a high-level organization. food industry watchdog group.

Red No. 3 is already banned or severely restricted in countries outside the United States, including Australia, Japan, and European Union countries.

Some U.S. food manufacturers have already removed artificial colors, including Red No. 3, from their products.

All color additives must be approved by the FDA before being used in foods sold in the United States. There are 36 color additives approved by the FDA, nine of which are synthetic colors.

The FDA said it is actively reviewing approval of Red No. 3 following a petition filed by a coalition of organizations, including CSPI, asking the FDA to revoke approval of the additive in foods, noting its potential cancer risks.

There are also questions about whether artificial food coloring could affect children’s behavior. The FDA in 2011 examined the possible link between artificial colors and hyperactivity in children. However, he determined that no causal link could be established.

Although the FDA is now revoking its approval, effectively ending its use nationwide, other states have already taken action.

California and 10 other states have already taken steps to ban the food coloring, according to CSPI.